Seduced by the Alpha Trio

8: Avery

These men were intense. Constantly staring at me like I was a prime cut of steak they couldn't wait to sink their teeth into. To be honest though, it was refreshing. My last memory of a man who I thought was my mate, looked at me with utter disgust. But these three were different. They made me feel safe, protected, and loved. And yet, the idea of having three mates still didn't sit well with me. How could I possibly love three men? It seemed like an impossible task.

As we walked down the hallway, I couldn't help but feel a strange pull towards Gabriel. There was something about him that made my heart race and my palms sweat. Maybe it was his intense gaze or the way he carried himself with confidence. Either way, I knew that I needed to keep my distance.

The sound of footsteps echoed behind us and I turned around to see who it was. It was Braden. My heart started beating faster as I felt the grip of fear clenching my chest.

"Braden!" Roman growled, his eyes narrowing at the sight of him.

Braden smirked, his eyes trailing over me. "Hello, Avery. I've missed you."

I stepped back, my heart racing. "Stay away from me," I warned him.

Braden took a step closer, his eyes darkening with anger. "You're mine, Avery. You belong to me."

I backed away, trying to put as much distance between us as possible. "I don't belong to anyone. Not you, not anyone."

The sound of a snarl interrupted us. I turned to see Gabriel, his eyes flashing with anger as he stepped in front of me protectively.

"Avery is ours," he growled, his fists clenched at his sides.

Braden smirked, his eyes flickering over Gabriel. "And who are you to claim her? Just another mutt in the pack?"

Gabriel's eyes blazed with fury as he lunged forward, his fists connecting with Braden's jaw. The sound echoed through the hallway as Braden stumbled back, his eyes wide with shock.

Roman stepped forward, grabbing Braden by the collar of his shirt. "You're not welcome here, Braden. Leave now before we make you."

Braden sneered, his eyes flickering over me one last time before turning and walking away.

I breathed a sigh of relief as the tension in the hallway dissipated. But as I looked up at Gabriel, his eyes still dark with anger, I couldn't help but feel drawn to him. As if he was the only one who could truly protect me from the dangers of the pack.

It was then that I realized, maybe loving three men wasn't so impossible after all. Maybe, just maybe, we were better together than apart.

The dreams I'd had in the hospital of these three protecting me and subsequently destroying Braden were powerful. Now as I look around my new room, I could smell him everywhere. My mind was closing in on me, and I could feel the bile rising in my chest.

Just as I felt like I was about to have a full on panic attack, Roman stepped in and wrapped his arms around me. His touch was comforting, and for the first time in my life, I felt safe. His embrace filled me with a warmth that settled over my entire body and eased away my fears.

"It's alright," he whispered gently, running the back of his hand down my face soothingly. "You don't have to be afraid anymore. We'll take care of you."

I nodded, tears streaming down my face, but no longer feeling scared as they did so.

Warmth and love come from him, like the scent of the sun's rays on the beach.

Roman's scent was musky, strong and most of all, protective. It smelled of pine and salt. Giving me a sense of security that was beyond measure.

"Should we go fix some dinner?" His deep voice rumbled through his chest, "you don't have to worry about meeting anyone, the packhouse is just for us 3. Well 4 now that you're here."I smiled weakly, still feeling a little overwhelmed by everything that had happened in such a short period of time.

"Yeah, that sounds good," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

As Gabriel and Roman led me to the kitchen, I couldn't help but notice the way they moved together. It was as if they were in sync, every action perfectly coordinated. Even the way they looked at each other was different. There was a deep understanding and respect that I had never seen before.

We began to prepare dinner, I found myself lost in thought. What would it be like to be with both of them at the same time? Could we really make it work? My thoughts turned back to my dream.

Sighing, I called for their attention as I put my heart on the line and explained the entirety of my situation. I was careful to explain that Braden and I had hardly been mates, so I wouldn't trigger any feelings of jealousy. it was only when I mentioned that he found out I was pregnant and needing to hide with my aunt, that the men's gazes turned feral. The table went deathly silent as they processed this information, allowing me to swallow my feelings of insecurity and angst.

"We will never let him hurt you, Avery." Nikolai spoke first, "you are safe, here, with us."

"We promise. You and the baby," Gabriel added, while watching Roman slide his arms around me for comfort before Gabriel turned to stir something on the stove.

Looking up at these three, I almost believed it.

It was then that Gabriel turned back to me, his eyes intense.

"I know you're thinking about it," he said, his voice low. "And the answer is yes. We can make this work. The four of us together."

I felt my heart skip a beat as he spoke. Could it really be that simple?

"What about jealousy?" I asked, my voice hesitant.

Roman chuckled, placing a hand on my shoulder as he poured me a glass of flavoured cherry water.

"Jealousy only happens when there's competition," he said, his eyes meeting mine. "But with the three of us, there's no need for competition. We each bring something different to the table. We each bring something unique to you. I am kind, a listen first, react second type. Roman is a big goof ball once he get's past his insecurities and Nikolai is... he's... domineering. You will get to know each of us and find that we compliment each other, and subsequently, you, in different ways, ways that make you feel whole and complete."

Nikolai stepped out of the shadows, "we will all die for you, Avery, no hesitation. None of us would dream of treating you the way Braden did."I felt a lump form in my throat at Nikolai's words. It was hard to fathom that these three men, who barely knew me, were willing to put their lives on the line for me. But then again, they had already proven that by saving me from Braden.

I looked at each of them in turn, studying their faces. Gabriel's eyes were full of warmth and understanding, Roman's were shining with excitement and humor, and Nikolai's were intense and almost predatory. They were all so different, yet they fit together like pieces of a puzzle.

"Okay," I said finally, a smile spreading across my face. "Let's do it. I'll try to be open and accepting of our... unconventional mateship. I wonder why I don't feel the mate bond though... like I did with... him..."

The men tensed, "we can find out. Not tonight though, tonight we relax, enjoy ourselves and get to know you a little better." Gabriel said with a slight smirk.

The rest of the evening was a blur of laughter, good food, and getting to know each other better. We talked about everything under the sun, from our favorite movies to our deepest fears. We found that we had a lot in common, but we also had our differences. And that was okay.

As the night wore on, I found myself growing more and more comfortable around them. It could have been the copious amounts of drinking they did, I never saw them without a glass of wine in their hands. Their relaxation bled into me, allowing me grace to relax too, despite my drink of choice being plain old water. I felt light, happy and comforted, like I was on top of the world. We ended up on the couch, with me nestled between Gabriel and Roman while Nikolai sat in a nearby armchair. It was as if we had been doing this for years, not just a few hours.

"I have an idea," Roman said suddenly, a mischievous grin on his face. "Let's play Truth or Dare."

I groaned inwardly, knowing that this game never ended well for me. But before I could protest, Gabriel chimed in with an enthusiastic "Yes!"

Nikolai raised an eyebrow, but gave a nod of approval.

"Okay, who wants to go first?" Roman asked, bouncing in his seat.

"I will," Nikolai said, his voice low and commanding. "Avery, truth or dare?"

I swallowed nervously, but knew that I couldn't back down now. "Truth," I said firmly.

Nikolai leaned forward, his gaze piercing. "What is your deepest, darkest desire?"

I felt a flush rise to my cheeks as I considered my answer. I had always been taught to keep my desires and fantasies to myself, but something about Nikolai's question made me want to open up.

"My deepest, darkest desire is to be completely dominated and taken care of by someone who knows exactly what I need," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

There was a moment of stunned silence, then Nikolai leaned back in his chair with a satisfied smirk on his face. "Thank you for sharing, Avery," he said, his voice almost a purr.

The game continued, each round becoming more and more intense. We laughed and pushed each other's boundaries, but it was clear that Nikolai was the most dominant of the group. His questions were always the most provocative and he seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.

It was my turn again, and Gabriel leaned in with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Avery, truth or dare?" he asked.

"Dare," I said, feeling quite brave.

Gabriel's grin widened. "I dare you to kiss whoever you want."

My heart skipped a beat as I looked at the three men next to me. But then I realized that I didn't have to choose. I could have them all.

Without hesitation, I turned to Gabriel and kissed him deeply, his lips soft and warm. Then I turned to Roman and did the same, his kisses playful and teasing. Finally, I turned to Nikolai and felt his strong arms wrap around me as he claimed my lips aggressively.

In that moment, I realized that they were all right. We didn't need to compete for each other's affections. We could all love each other equally and be fulfilled in different ways.

As we pulled away from each other, panting and flushed, I felt a sense of belonging that I had never felt before.

"I think we'll all be very happy together," Nikolai said with a devilish grin.